A ‘Monster’ waste of time, effort

The hit comedy “Monster-in-Law,” featuring the much-hyped return to

the big screen of Oscar winner Jane Fonda, is a disappointing waste

of her talent.

Playing the ultimate meddling mother must have been a tempting

change of pace after her great roles in “Klute” and “On Golden Pond.”

But the script by Anya Kochoff and direction of Robert Luketic

(“Legally Blonde”) goes for easy laughs and big box office, reducing

everything to silly shtick that gets wrapped up in pretty peach

ribbons at the end.

Viola Fields (Fonda) is an elegant Barbara Walters type, a grand

dame of television, who is suddenly dumped for a younger and blonder

ingenue. After an on-camera meltdown, she retreats to a facility for

a “rest cure.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte “Charlie” Cantilini (Jennifer Lopez) gets a

“meet cute” with handsome doctor Kevin Fields (Michael Vartan) on one

of her various temp jobs.

No sooner has Viola come home than son Kevin brings Charlie over

to meet her. To everyone’s surprise, Kevin proposes in front of his

mother. Viola retreats to her room for a tantrum, vowing to break up

the romance and reopen the liquor cabinet. Charlie eventually catches

on to her, and the game is on.

The movie trailers pretty much show you the best comedy bits it

has to offer. Only the wonderfully acidic Wanda Sykes stands out as

Ruby, Viola’s assistant. She deflates Viola’s delusions at every turn

with such zest that you look forward to what she will say next.

Vartan’s function is to be strictly eye candy, as his Kevin is

totally clueless to all the intimidation, manipulation and slap

fests, to say nothing of Viola’s heavy drinking.

Clearly, this was meant as a star vehicle for both Fonda and

Lopez, and each gets their little diva moment. J-Lo gets to show off

her glowing beauty and even sneaks in a few of her clothing designs.

Fonda wears Gucci like nobody’s business and throws herself into the

part, literally, by passing out in a plate of tripe.

She came out of retirement for this?

* SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant

for a financial services company.